Friday, December 26, 2008

WomanTours Links

For an interview with me about WomanTours, check out the podcast on the Terry Bicycles website.

For some unsolicited reviews about our tours, read the
Team Estrogen Forum
and the Live Journal Q&A.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

First WomanTours Open House

Despite the several feet of snow on the ground, we had a wonderful Holiday Open House last night. We got to meet some of the women who live in the area who we've only spoken to on the phone or via email. Thank you to all the women (and a couple husbands) who came to our office to meet us.


Nancy (left) and Bonnie (right) chat with Michelle about looking forward to the snow melting in the spring when we can all get back on our bikes again!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Guide Designed Bike Tours

One of the things that separates WomanTours from other bicycle tour companies is our guides and the role they play in designing our tours.

When Patty picked up and moved to Moab, Utah from Idaho a couple years ago, she designed a beautiful tour through the national parks in the area. It’s been a sell-out for the last few years, so we’ve scheduled two Moab tours in 2009.

Kimberly planned our Blue Ridge Rambler out of her hometown of Asheville, North Carolina.

Sandra created the Sun Valley tour in her home state of Idaho.

Vicky planned the Maine tour from her hometown near Acadia National Park.

Laurie’s been very busy designing the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Vermont Champlain Valley and Shenandoah National Park tours over the past few years.

Michelle is currently working on a new Texas Hill Country tour. She doesn’t live there, but she’s been through the area so many times on our Southern Tier cross-country tour that Texas almost feels like home to her.

So if you’re looking for a tour with insider information, you can follow your favorite WomanTours guide on her favorite tour….

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Holiday Open House

Celebrate the end of a wonderful year of tours with us.

Come to our first ever Holiday Open House on Monday, December 22 from 4:00-7:00pm. We're located at 2340 Elmwood Avenue in Rochester, NY.

If you're anywhere near the area, please come visit for 3 minutes or 3 hours. Bring a friend or come alone. We'd love to show you around, reminisce about past tours and dream about future ones. We'll even do a little complaining about our local weather -- too icy to bike or ski right now.

Drop us an email to RSVP so we're sure to have enough pineapple for you - like Jane here from our Hawaii tour last month.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Thankful on Thanksgiving


I am thankful for ...
... all the women who took a WomanTours trip this year.
... Gloria who had the foresight to start WomanTours many years ago.
... the guides who make the trips run seamlessly and their jobs look easy.
... Beth and Annette who shoot our tours and make our catalog and website beautiful.
... Ellen, our art director, who puts it all together with grace and ease.
... Tom who keeps our website clean and consistent.
... Chuck, the best financial advisor a sister could have.
... Sandra, Jennifer and Michelle, the best women in the world to work with.
... my nieces Emily and Denise, and Marilyn for running in the Webster Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day with me.
Without all their help, WomanTours wouldn't be where it is today - helping women, one at a time, experience the joy that bicycling can bring.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

WomanTours nominated for Adventure Cycling Award

As they always say, it's just great to be nominated, even if we didn't win. Beverly Allyn nominated WomanTours to receive the Bicycle Travel Champion Award presented by Adventure Cycling. And we hear that one of our guides, Linda Gryczan, was also nominated by Barbara Bryant for an award.

We're honored and we'll hope to continue to live up to your expectations...even if we don't win. All we can do is try harder next time!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Notes that Make our Day

We received this email from Val who had just finished our Death Valley bike tour. Here it is verbatim.

You're quite welcome...although every time I go on one of these, I feel like I should be thanking you (& Gloria & Jennifer & Denise & Michelle and all the other wonderful women that make these possible!)

I was a little hesitant to go on my first multi-day tour alone last year but it was phenomenal! It was such an amazing group of incredibly diverse & inspirational women that I felt certain it must have been a fluke...surely they can't all be this good, I thought. And when I got off the plane last year, my husband took one look at me and said, "So...which one are you doing next year?" As a more-than-full-time working mom of a 5 year-old with a husband in law school, I desperately needed to take some time & re-charge my own batteries and it was amazing to me -- not only how good for the soul that week was for me -- but that he could visibly see how changed I felt when I got back.

And, while I didn't think it was possible, Death Valley was even better this year! I couldn't book the next one fast enough when I got back! That annual trip has now become "my" time and my daughter no longer whines about me being gone for it any more...just that she's too young to come along with me!
:-)

Thanks again! You ladies are doing an amazing thing...keep up the good work!

Cheers!
val

Monday, November 17, 2008

Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard tour photo book

Bonnie from our fall Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard tour created a beautiful book of her tour. It gives you a taste of the wonderful time she and all the women had on their trip. Check out Bonnie's book here.

Monday, November 03, 2008

Climbing Big Slide for our new Adirondacks tour

I spent last weekend with 2 friends climbing Big Slide. We were getting ready for our newest multi-sport Adirondack State Park tour next September. Here is Sheila and Stacey enjoying the view from the top.


Big Slide is the 27th highest of the 46 peaks above 4000' in the Adirondacks. We'll be offering it as the optional hike on our bike tour. It took the 3 of us 9 hours to go up and down. One of the best parts of the trail is that we top 3 smaller mountains, "The Three Brothers," each with wonderful views of their own along the way.

We carried our heavy snowshoes the whole way but never needed them. We (almost) guarantee that we won't have snow on our September tour next year!

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Fitness and Flossing

I’ve always been religious about getting my teeth cleaned every six months. And every six months I’ve had to endure sitting through another lecture about the benefits of flossing. It was obvious to my dentist that I never flossed.

That is until the day I met a new dental hygienist who suggested I floss once or twice a week, or whenever I remembered. She gave me the freedom to stop beating myself up over not flossing every day, and since then, I’ve become a regular flosser.

Fitness is a lot like flossing. I focus on working out once or twice a week, or whenever I feel like it. I don’t beat myself up over missing a day. This is particularly significant in the fall and winter when the days are short, the sun hangs low, and the breezes run cold. I let the weather dictate my activity.

If it’s sunny but chilly, I’ll take a walk in the park; if there’s snow on the ground, I’ll ski. If it’s pouring rain, I’ll go to a club and lift weights or join a yoga class. And if it’s that rare day when the jet stream brings a warm front, I’ll don my cycling wear and go for a bike ride.

I’m not one for making or keeping resolutions. That’s an easy way to set yourself up for failure. If you set a goal of working out every day, or every other day, or once a week, life will get in the way and you’ll quickly miss a day and have failed.

I believe in setting a goal and letting the goal be your reward. Just as I need that 6-month cleaning to keep me flossing and hear the dentist say, “no cavities,” you need that periodic reminder to stay fit. Now’s the time to sit down, do some research and find a fitness goal/reward for the early spring.

It can be an organized event. Consider the metric century over Valentine’s Day weekend in Myrtle Beach. Or take up running and train for a 5k in a city you’ve always wanted to visit. It’s easy to find listings of events on such websites as active.com or bicyclingworld.com.

Or there’s nothing like an active vacation to keep you active all winter. You won’t want to be the slowest in the group. WomanTours, Adventures in Good Company and Canyon Calling are all excellent places to find great trips.

Whatever you choose as your goal/reward, be sure you commit to it. Sign up and pay the registration fee. Tell everyone of your plans. And then when the sun shines, go outside and work out. And when the sun doesn’t shine, stay inside and work out. Don’t worry if you miss a day or a specific workout. Just aim for a few times a week, and keep your fitness goal/reward in mind. And when you remember, try to floss. Your dentist will thank you.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

New Adirondacks Tour for 2009


I'm just back from working on a multi-sport tour in Adirondack State Park for next year. Here are Pat and I at the top of the second highest peak in the Adirondacks - Algonquin. Three of us hiked to over 4000 feet in 9 miles. Charm is taking this photo with her camera, as I'd forgotten mine!

Come join us next year when we're scheduled to climb another "high peak:" Big Slide Mountain. And we'll do some kayaking and biking in addition to the hiking. Come on our newest multi-sport tour to the Adirondacks of New York.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Reunion Ride to Letchworth State Park

WomanTours reunions happen all over the country all year long. Women who meet on our tours meet to bike together again later, sometimes on another tour and sometimes on their own. A bunch of us here in Rochester planned our own get together to bike the unpaved Genesee Valley Greenways trail 48 miles to Letchworth State Park and then back again. It was a stunning day, unusually warm and sunny for October.



Left to right: Annette planned the outing. She's been on many of our tours as official photographer. Elaine is from our first Southern Tier tour and more recently from our Underground Railroad tour. Then there's me. Marilyn is from countless tours, Barb has been on 6 past tours and Bess was our essential SAG driver, because she doesn't bike.

Three of us camped, 2 slept in the SAG van and one of us got a motel room. It was a great couple days, but it always is when you're on a bike. Barb says that next year we should make a century out of it and go out and back in one day. Let us know if you want to join us next time!

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

New 2009 WomanTours catalog is in the mail


Email or call us with a name of a woman from the cover of our new catalog, and receive a free pair of socks. They're beautiful pink in honor of breast cancer month. You only need 1 name, as it's only 1 pair of socks per person. Hint - the women are on our last year's cross-country tour.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Back from our Italy: Basilicata by Bike Tour


The 6 of us on the tour earlier this month discovered that the towns in southern Italy are all built on the tops of mountains. So we climbed daily to lunch and climbed again each afternoon to our hotel. But the food and the views from the top were worth it. I wish I could do it all over again.

We're planning on returning to Italy to do the Amalfi Coast in 2010 or 2011. Let me know if you're interested in joining us!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Back from Glacier National Park



Glacier National Park
is probably our most scenic - and challenging bike tour. There were 23 of us on this year's tour last week. We had all kinds of weather including fresh snow in the mountains, but mostly, it was just gorgeous. Here are some of us at the top of Going to the Sun Highway - inarguably the most scenic highway in the country. I didn't want it to end.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Inaugural Blue Ridge Rambler Tour

Anne Cowan sent me this photo of the group on our first Blue Ridge Rambler tour. Anne biked cross-country with us and a couple of the women on this tour so she surprised them by meeting them at lunch during the tour. They all had lunch at the Women Helping Other Women Cake Company in Burnsville, North Carolina. You can read all about Kerry's experience on her blog.



Our guide Kimberly designed the tour. She's in front, fourth from the right. When she's not guiding for us or running her homemade soap company, she's winning awards for being the best small businessperson in Asheville. Go Kimberly!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

WomanTours on Google Maps


For an image of the WomanTours office and one of our bike tour rigs, check out Google Maps. It's not fancy but it's where we make our tours a reality.

Enter your own address and see who's parked in front of your place!

Sunday, August 03, 2008

How to Buy your First Bicycle

Buying your first bicycle as an adult can be a daunting process. Whether you’re looking to buy a fast road bike with drop, racing-style handlebars or a fat-tire hybrid with straight bars, here are a few pointers to help you in your search.

The most important thing you should look for in a new bike is how you feel when you’re on it. Look for a bicycle that makes you feel good when you test ride it. Don’t just ride around the parking lot. Bring your bike shorts, shoes and helmet and test each bike for a good 5 or 10-mile ride.

If you’re a woman, look at models designed specifically for you, such as those by Terry, Trek, Fuji and Specialized. Women tend to be shorter, and have smaller hands and longer legs in proportion to their bodies than men. Get a bike made with all that in mind.

You should be able to stand flat-footed over the bike without touching the frame. If you can’t, then it’s too big and you won’t be safe riding it. Go down to a smaller size.

The bike shop should first adjust the seat for your height, set the handlebars even with your seat, and then show you how to use the brakes and shifters. Then you should ride the bike and think about how you feel. Do you feel safe? In control? Can you reach the brakes and shifters comfortably? Is your back relaxed? Try cycling up a hill. Can you shift into a gear that makes it easy enough to pedal? If you have trouble with the shifting, turn around and try it again until you get it right.

After a couple miles, do you notice any discomfort? Do your arms ache from stretching? Do your legs feel cramped for space? Do you find yourself squirming to find the right position? If so, then try a different bike. When you find the right bike, you’ll know it. Your body will tell you.

You’ll notice that I’m not suggesting you buy a steel or carbon fiber or aluminum bicycle frame. Or to worry about the wheel size, handlebar shape or type of components. What is most important is that the bike fits you and makes you feel good. The better you feel, the more you’ll ride.

Before you know it, you’ll be thinking about buying your second bike, and that’s a whole other blog entry - for later.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Finger Lakes Bike Tour - a wet one!


It really does rain on our tours sometimes, but not usually every day, as it did in the Finger Lakes this past week. But all 17 of us were troopers and managed to do most of our bicycling without whining when it wasn't raining. Still, a few of us got caught in a downpour, including Jenny....

It was a great tour and I miss everyone already!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Nominate your favorite WomanTours bike tour guide!


Every year, Adventure Cycling awards someone who has contributed to bicycle touring. Please nominate your favorite WomanTours guide. We’d love any one of them to win this prestigious honor.
Did Patty remember to cook you that favorite meal on your birthday?
Did Michelle’s singing touch your heart?
Did Laurie’s humor touch your soul?
Did Linda teach you something about bikes you never thought you’d learn?
Did Denise’s thoughtfulness make your day?
Did Lynne’s inner strength show you your own?
Did Kimberly’s passion for life keep you going when you needed it most?
Did Linda’s meals bring back childhood memories?
Did Ellee’s perseverance inspire you?
Did Vicky’s enthusiasm about Maine make you appreciate your own home?
Did Nancy’s strength show you how to keep it together when all around you was falling apart?

Then please nominate her and tell Adventure Cycling your story. It will only take a minute. Thank you!
Please click here to nominate your favorite WomanTours guide.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Cross Training for a Bike Tour


I support cross-training for bicycle tours. Here I am among 11,000 other people at the Utica Boilermaker 15k running race last weekend. If you're looking for a great race, look no further. The Boilermaker is one of the best in the country. It's always hot and this year was no different. I didn't miss - I swear - I was just cooling off!

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard Bike Tour



When Chanel and Tanya sent me the link to their beautiful photos from our Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard bike tour last month, they brought back wonderful memories. Bicycles, beaches and beauties....

Monday, June 30, 2008

Biking Buddies from Bike Tours

One of the best things about our bike tours is the friends you make. This past Saturday, I biked 58 miles with Barb Kassel. She just finished our Underground Railroad tour and even though she's probably 15-20 years my senior, she had to do a lot of waiting up for me.

The weekend before, I biked with Elaine Miller. She was one of our SAG drivers on the same Underground Railroad tour. She's even a little older, and all I know is how tired my legs were the next morning when I tried to bike again.

Jennifer (from our office) biked with Lynore Del Sette a couple weeks ago. Lynore lives in Boston, but found herself in our area. She and Jennifer met on our Alaska tour last year. New York isn't Alaska, but the two of them biked over 150 miles in 2 days double-checking some of the routes from our Finger Lakes tour.

It isn't always about biking either. Michelle (from our office) had lunch with Melinda Hartman last week. They met on our Outer Banks tour this past spring.

I know there's a whole network of women out there who have met each other on our tours. A WomanTours network. If you have any ideas on how we can foster it and harness all that energy, let me know.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Fixing a Flat on Father’s Day

I went to my sister’s house to celebrate Father’s Day. When I asked her about the boxed bicycle tube on the kitchen counter, she said my nephew had a flat tire on his bike and was working on fixing it. But he didn’t really know how.

Justin is 16. His answers to my questions are always one-word long and come with an attitude that tells me he wishes he were somewhere other than talking to his aunt. So when I offered to show him how to fix his flat after dinner, I was shocked when he readily went to get his bike before we had even finished dessert.

I showed him how to undo the quick release, look for the cause of the hole in his tire, replace the tube without pinching it, pump it up to the proper pressure, and put the back wheel on under the chain and derailleur. When the whole process was done in 7 minutes and our four hands were filthy, I think he was slightly impressed.

Then I noticed his rear brake was rubbing, so I grabbed a screwdriver and re-centered it. I saw his chain was dry and starting to rust, so I dripped some lube on it and showed him how to rub off the excess. I felt his seat slip down, so I explained the quick release wasn’t closed properly and showed him how to adjust it.

I’ve probably helped hundreds of women fix flat tires on their bikes, but I’ve never felt such satisfaction as I did when I helped my nephew. For about 12 minutes, we actually connected. I’ll never be a mother, but on Father’s Day, it felt wonderful to be an aunt.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Underground Railroad bike tour a Success!



Congratulations to all the women on our Underground Railroad bike tour. They rolled into Niagara Falls on Friday and crossed the border into Canada to successfully complete their 1900-mile journey.

It will be a couple years until we repeat the Underground Railroad tour, so keep an eye on our schedule if you want to do it with us next time. Many of these women have already signed up to do our Northwest Loop in 2009. There's no better compliment - thank you!

For 2010, we're considering doing one-half of the Northern Tier and the other half in 2011. Let me know if that appeals to you.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Beginner Bicyclists

Who comes on our beginner bike tours?



Meet Angela Gonzales. A big indoor spinner, she'd never biked outside on roads. Never bicycled in traffic, never shifted gears or had to brake. Until she came on our 4-day beginner Maryland Eastern Shore bike tour last week.

She biked a personal best when she completed 20 miles on the first day. She tripled that and biked 60 miles the following day. When her hybrid rental bike broke down, all we had in her size was a road bike. She loved it, and then there was no stopping her.

You can meet Angela Gonzales yourself on our Northwest Loop next year. She's already signed up.

From a 4-day beginner tour to a 4-week advanced cross-country tour. Our tours help women realize they can do way more than they ever thought possible.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Finding Comfort on your Bike

I'm often asked how to make bicycling more comfortable. When nothing hurts, you feel as if you can ride forever.

After a bicycle helmet, padded bike shorts are the most important piece of clothing to have while you’re riding. They’ll allow you to bike longer because your butt won’t get as sore. If you’re shy about the tight lycra look, then get the “shorts-within-a-short” or the new sport-skirts that hide the padded shorts underneath. And remember – always wear them without underwear.

Bicycling gloves should be next on your shopping list. Good cycling gloves have padded palms to help prevent excess handlebar pressure from injuring the nerves in your hands. Gloves will also help prevent injury if you fall, as hands are often the first to hit the ground in an accident.

Once you have the necessary clothing, you need a properly fitted bike to make sure you’re as comfortable as possible while you’re riding. There are many ways to tweak the fit of the bike to match your body better.

If you don’t know how to make the adjustment yourself, bring your bicycle to a bike shop. Most adjustments can be made in a second or two. Think about buying the necessary tool and learning how to do it yourself, as most adjustments are pretty simple. Then you’ll be able to dial in the fit of your bike just right.

Always make one small adjustment at a time. Then try riding your bike to see if it helps. Remember that just half an inch can make a big difference. Here are some suggestions for getting rid of those aches and pains.

•If your knees hurt: try moving your seat higher, lower, forward or back.

•If your neck hurts: raise your handlebars to put yourself in a more upright position. You can also consider changing your bike’s stem to a shorter one that brings the handlebars closer to you.

•If your shoulders hurt: and you use straight handlebars, consider getting narrower bars or cutting the ends off the ones you have. Your arms may be too far apart.

•If your hands hurt or fall asleep: turn the angle of your handlebars toward you so your hands are in a more natural and relaxed position.

•If your butt hurts: try changing the angle of your seat. Point the nose down or up a tiny bit to take pressure off the wrong areas. You can also try changing your seat. Seats are very personal, so it may just be a matter of finding the right one for you.

If you wear the right clothing and make the right adjustments to your bike, you should be pain-free while bicycling. Your body will thank you. And so will your bike, as you’ll spend more time on it!

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Underground Railroad cross-country tour takes off!


The group - 29 strong - left Mobile Alabama heading to Canada today, following the 2000-mile Underground Railroad. We designed the bike tour based on the new route designed by Adventure Cycling. To follow their journey, check out some of the blogs from the tour here:
Anne Cowan
Marni Harang
Sondra Hartt
Kathy Leonard
Judi Mittelberg
Sue Rapp
Lois Schneider

Friday, May 02, 2008

Southern Tier Cross-Country Tour ends in St. Augustine!



All 30 women finished in St. Augustine, Florida - I'm so happy for them! Here's Carol, one of our SAG drivers taking the requisite dip in the Atlantic. Congratulations to all of them. You can read about some of their journeys on their blogs below.

Cheryl Berman

Phyllis Biegun

Penny Bradley

Mary Kay Engel

Jane Irwin

Genie Lindberg and Barb Selstad

Ellen Martyn

Barbara Minnick

Debbie Smythe

Jan Sward

Clark Taylor

Arda Tole

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Cross-Country Southern Tier Bike Tour isn't all about Bicycling

It looks as if the women on our cross-country Southern Tier bike tour do more than just bicycle. Here are some of them in a spontaneous synchronized swimming class....


Tuesday, April 15, 2008

WomanTours parking space

It's been cold here in Rochester, New York this April, but with the right clothes, I've been able to get out on my bike. Came across my very own parking space on a ride last week.

Monday, April 07, 2008

WomanTours in the News

As our ladies make it across the country on the Southern Tier tour, they're making the front pages of some of the local papers in their stopover towns. They appeared in the Navasota Examiner in Navasota, TX last week. You can read about them here.

Also, a wonderful article about Anne Cowan, who is preparing for our Underground Railroad tour has appeared on page 20 in her local women's magazine. You can read it here or (here if that link doesn't work.)

And lastly, you can read about our chef Linda Baldwin, who is currently working on our Southern Tier tour on page 48 of the May issue of Bicycling Magazine. I can personally vouch for the macaroni and cheese recipe. I made it this weekend and it was delicious. I think it was the nutmeg.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Cross-Country Tour Past Halfway Point



Our cross-country Southern Tier tour is halfway across the country already! They'll be in St. Augustine, Florida before they know it. Here are Kathy, Jan, Kat and Sandra at Emory Pass. At 8828', it's the highest point of the tour. It's all downhill from here - ha ha!

And here are Jeanne and Candace. What did Lance say - it's not about the bike? Jeanne proves him right every day.

Monday, March 24, 2008

New Beginner Bike Tour in Louisiana

I'm in the midst of putting the finishing touches on our newest bike tour for beginners. Biking the Bayou in Louisiana.

I was down in New Orleans just after hurricane Katrina to work on the cross-country tour that we do every few years following the Mississippi River. I knew then that Louisiana would make a wonderful place for a beginner tour because it's so flat. It's taken me this long to get it together, but it's finally on our schedule.

I get emails every day from women wondering if they're fit enough to do our tours. Anyone can do our Louisiana tour. It's that flat. Here's the view on the bike path across the river from New Orleans.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

WomanTours Cross-Country Tour Plan

I receive a lot of emails asking why we don't do more varied cross-country routes, so I'd like to explain here how we make our cross-country tour plans. We schedule the Southern Tier every year. It is the shortest way to cross on the classic Pacific Ocean to Atlantic Ocean route.

We fill the Southern Tier tour every year, and lately, we've had waiting lists for it. We do it slower than any other company and we don't camp. We also offer the cheapest per day rate than any other non-camping cross-country touring company out there.

In addition to our annual Southern Tier tour, we're able to coordinate 1 other cross-country tour per year. We just don't have the resources (vehicles and guides) to support any more than that. We usually choose shorter routes, so more women can afford the time to do them. Last year, it was the 6-week long Meandering Mississippi and this year, we're doing the Underground Railroad.

Next year, we've planned a 4-week Northwest Loop from Portland, Oregon, incorporating parts of the TransAmerica and the Lewis & Clark Trail. We choose a different tour every year, as there isn't enough interest in just one other tour to fill it every year.

It takes a lot of time and money to plan a cross-country tour. We need to drive thousands of miles to confirm the route. Just imagine the cost in gas!

If there are cross-country routes that interest you, please send me an email. I keep track of the interest and use it in planning the schedule. Thanks!

Monday, March 10, 2008

Southern Tier Cross-Country Tour 2008 has Begun!



We had a perfect beautiful sunny day to start our cross-country Southern Tier bike tour this year. All 32 women dipped their rear wheels in the Pacific Ocean last Friday to begin their 3000+ mile trek across the country.

Several of the women on the tour are keeping blogs during the trip. You can follow their journeys by clicking below:
Cheryl Berman
Phyllis Biegun
Penny Bradley
Mary Kay Engel
Jane Irwin
Ellen Martyn
Barbara Minnick
Debbie Smythe
Jan Sward
Clark Taylor
Arda Tole

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Changing Gear Documentary playing at film festival

Changing Gear, the feature-length documentary about women bicycling across the country in our Southern Tier cross-country bike tour, has been chosen to appear as part of the Women in Film Festival in BC, Canada! If you're anywhere near Vancouver, come to the screening on Friday, March 7 at 1:00pm. For tickets, click here.

Friday, February 29, 2008

Meet our newest staff member


I'm thrilled that Michelle Green has joined the WomanTours office. She's another one of my sisters. Most of you know that my other sister Jennifer has been working in our office for a couple years now. When we were in high school, everyone thought Michelle and I were twins. You can read more about her here.
Or you can join her on our Outer Banks tour in May.
She's new to cycling, so she had to buy her first pair of bike shorts just for the trip.

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Meet our guide Kimberly Masters

Here's a wonderful article about our guide Kimberly Masters. We're very proud of her and feel fortunate to have her guiding our tours!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

New Bo Peep for our Cross-Country Tours

The Subaru we use as a support vehicle on our cross-country tours finally died after 196,000 miles. We call her "Bo Peep" because she keeps track of all the riders on our tours.

Yesterday I installed the bike rack on our beautiful new (and gently used) Subaru Outback. She drives like a dream, smells great, and is in pristine condition. One of my favorite guides, Nancy, helped me deal with the used car salesmen. Here's the car next to her flowers. We look forward to putting some miles on this Bo Peep!